1. Field of the Invention
With reference to the classification of art as established by and in the United States Patent and Trademark Office this invention is believed to be in the general Class entitled, "Package Making" (Class 53) and in the subclass entitled, "receptacle formed and subsequently filled" (subclass 456) and/or the subclass entitled, "forming or partially forming receptacles and subsequent filling" (subclass 574).
2. Description of the Prior Art
Packages for food products are well known. In particular, packages of processed and/or mixed products ready for opening, serving and/or immediately using are very widely used. Foods served on airliners, such as jellies and the like, are such packaged products. Fast food outlets provide individual servings of condiments such as ketchup, mustard, salad dressing mixtures and the like. In such packaged products it is customary to employ a heat forming of the pocket or recess in the bottom or component receiving strip of the package. After forming and filling the pocket in this strip with the product, a cover member is usually sealed in place around the flat planer surface to retain the product in place. This cover usually has the same or equal barrier properties as the carrier strip. After forming, filling and sealing by affixing a cover, the completed package is usually cut apart into separate packages.
Patent disclosures directed to the above package making or to the making or filling of bags are shown in part by U.S. Pat. No. 2,749,817 to Piazze et al., as issued on June 12, 1956; U.S. Pat. No. 3,667,354 to Steinmetz as issued on June 6, 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 3,762,617 to Matthis as issued on Oct. 2, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 3,813,998 to Lotto as issued on June 4, 1974; U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,129 to Monahan as issued on May 20, 1975 and my U.S. Pat. No. 4,048,782 as issued on Sept. 20, 1977. Foreign patents are represented by British Pat. No. 1,075,540 as filed on Nov. 9, 1964.
In these and other known art the pocket is usually formed in at least the bottom carrier strip by heat or the carrier strip is otherwise stretched. Other box forming means include blanks cut, creased and then folded to provide a receptacle. Cover means is then applied to retain the product.
In the present invention it is anticipated that a lower strip is advanced to a transverse cutting means whereat the strip is cut midway to leave edge carrier portions on both sides of the strip. This advancement of the strip may be continuous or intermittent. This strip, usually a bottom strip, may be a foil, paper, a laminate or any strip material being capable of retaining its shape once it has been formed and providing a satisfactory wrapper for the particular material to be packaged. After a transverse cut in at least the bottom strip has been made, the strip is troughed by appropriately shaped dies, rollers or fingers as and with the side portions moved toward each other. The central portion of this strip is bent transversely to form a stop or end. This formed pocket is filled with the product to be packaged and then a cover is sealed in place. The resulting packaged product is then preferably cut into separate units. The cover member is also troughed in certain instances before applying to the bottom member.